Terrible luck with motorcycle chain longevity.

[SZR48207]

I have an update for those interested. I put on a different chain and did a little dissection of the JT chain.

There were 3 'sections' of the chain that showed the 'red rust of death', so I picked one and broke it down to the components.

Obvious signs of a lack of lubrication from the factory, as the pins are completely galled:

And in this last pic, a new/unused master link is on the right to show the difference:

A final note regarding the slack spec: I mis-stated the spec in my original post, but even if I was on the tight side of things, the swingarm geometry on the Tiger 800 creates MORE slack when the rider sits on the bike.

 

[Smoky14]

45: Thanks for the follow up on the chain, don't know who manufactured it but not a real good job. The rings were eating the side plates to boot, but they remained intact which is more than mine DID. So much for second rate chains.

Smoky

 

[David_g]

Originally Posted by Reddy45
Obvious signs of a lack of lubrication from the factory, as the pins are completely galled:

Do you think it could have leaked out? The side plates certainly looked worn. Either way, the effect was very poor chain life.

What did you put on to replace it?

People often talk about the brand rather than model chain they bought, which to me is like saying you're running Motul oil without discussing whether it's 5100 or 300V.

For example, I'd use EK MXVZ-2 or RK GXW, but probably not lesser chains from those manufacturers, if I wanted good longevity. I don't know know where the optimal price/longevity point is, but it seems to be real. I won't claim someone can't get great results from a lesser chain. But the only poor results I've had have been from lesser models.

 

[SZR48207]

I went with an RK GXW chain. Seems to be doing better now.. and also added an automatic chain oiler as extra insurance.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted by David_g
Originally Posted by Reddy45
Obvious signs of a lack of lubrication from the factory, as the pins are completely galled:

Do you think it could have leaked out? The side plates certainly looked worn. Either way, the effect was very poor chain life.


Or I wonder if that chain was ever "power washed" at the car wash. That will certainly get some water past the O-rings and cause problems.

 

[SZR48207]

Originally Posted by ZeeOSix
Originally Posted by David_g
Originally Posted by Reddy45
Obvious signs of a lack of lubrication from the factory, as the pins are completely galled:

Do you think it could have leaked out? The side plates certainly looked worn. Either way, the effect was very poor chain life.


Or I wonder if that chain was ever "power washed" at the car wash. That will certainly get some water past the O-rings and cause problems.


Never was.

 

[Bonz]

Didn't catch it in the thread, how often had you been lubing the chain? I see you now have a Scottoiler. Those dry hot days on the road are brutal on a chain, lube gets hot and more easily comes off the chain, even no/low fling lubes. Thus on hot days regardless of lube, the o-rings get hot and pliable and the inner lube itself is at its "thinnest". Does seem it was a poorly manufactured chain on those specific links however.

I have an EK ZVX2 530 chain on a ZRX1200 with well over 25,000 miles on the chain. 140+ hp/85 ft/lbs. The only time it has needed adjustment is when I put it on after the first few hundred miles and each time I put on a new rear tire (6000-8000 miles depending on the tire life). Wipe down the chain every 300-350 miles with a kerosene dampened rag to clean, spray with Maxima Chain Guard ("Crystal Clear") or Chain Wax and repeat again in 300-350 miles. Chain slack is on the loose side and checked every few rides. For trips, I keep a tube of Motul Chain paste under the seat and use it daily. Good stuff as well.

I do run a favorable sprocket tooth count a la gearing commander to maximize the best sprocket/chain interface. One tooth smaller in the rear (41T) and stock 17T up front works great.

 

[SZR48207]

Originally Posted by Bonz
Didn't catch it in the thread, how often had you been lubing the chain? I see you now have a Scottoiler. Those dry hot days on the road are brutal on a chain, lube gets hot and more easily comes off the chain, even no/low fling lubes. Thus on hot days regardless of lube, the o-rings get hot and pliable and the inner lube itself is at its "thinnest". Does seem it was a poorly manufactured chain on those specific links however.

I have an EK ZVX2 530 chain on a ZRX1200 with well over 25,000 miles on the chain. 140+ hp/85 ft/lbs. The only time it has needed adjustment is when I put it on after the first few hundred miles and each time I put on a new rear tire (6000-8000 miles depending on the tire life). Wipe down the chain every 300-350 miles with a kerosene dampened rag to clean, spray with Maxima Chain Guard ("Crystal Clear") or Chain Wax and repeat again in 300-350 miles. Chain slack is on the loose side and checked every few rides. For trips, I keep a tube of Motul Chain paste under the seat and use it daily. Good stuff as well.

I do run a favorable sprocket tooth count a la gearing commander to maximize the best sprocket/chain interface. One tooth smaller in the rear (41T) and stock 17T up front works great.








The JT chain had probably been lubed every 100 miles or so. I don't ride a LOT, but I make a jaunt across town and back twice a month, so that adds up to 160 miles. I wash the bike once a month and afterwards the chain got lubed.

 

[Ranger83]

I have a Tiger 1050 that is used for everything from touring to track days. BTW at track days they will inspect chain tension to make sure it isn't too tight: causes many problems.

We never wash the chain, use the duPont chain product, and apply it every other tank of gas, or around 400 miles. Original chain and sprockets, adjusted once in 13,000 miles.

 

[JmanG]

I put a D.I.D. X-Ring chain on my bike exactly a year ago. And right at 15k miles now, links are starting to kink up and the o-Ring's are coming apart.

I ride daily year round unless it's pouring rain and lube my chain religiously and am really surprised it didn't last longer.

I'll also add, looser is better than tight. At the beginning of my riding career, i had a bad habit of adjusting my chains too tight which greatly increased wear, they were toast in a few thousand miles. I now use a chain slack tool which I highly recommend if your anal about proper chain slack.

 

[Smoky14]

Originally Posted by JmanG
I put a D.I.D. X-Ring chain on my bike exactly a year ago. And right at 15k miles now, links are starting to kink up and the o-Ring's are coming apart.

I ride daily year round unless it's pouring rain and lube my chain religiously and am really surprised it didn't last longer.

I'll also add, looser is better than tight. At the beginning of my riding career, i had a bad habit of adjusting my chains too tight which greatly increased wear, they were toast in a few thousand miles. I now use a chain slack tool which I highly recommend if your anal about proper chain slack.


I too had bad luck with DID best chain, "O" rings split and left the bike and I lube mine with vigor. DID replaced it and it went south in about 5K miles. I'm now running an RK and will report on it later.
Smoky

 

[Panos]

Just lube frequently with heavy gear (eg SAE 140 in hot weather/high speeds) or lighter engine oil (in cold weather/low speeds - I prefer used oil from my engines,virtually free lube) - I use a manual lubing device called Loobman for extra time saving (plus no need for oily rags).If this type of care (you will almost eliminate the need for any dedicated cleaning process if you lube with oil) combined with the correct slack gives you a chain with a short life, it is surely a bad manufactured chain.

 

[hpb]

Panos, I also use a Loobman on my Honda 750, although I fill it with new 20w50 engine oil. I haven't had to adjust the chain in 14,000km, and it stays super clean too

 

[Panos]

Plain monograde gear oil is very cheap here so I initially used that.But is very thick for loobman to flow in winter (below 10 Celsius) where used 10w40 (thick 10W20 after UOA testing!) flows just fine and cost zero money.
Loobman is a pretty clever and honestly priced device to save time,money and dirty rags/clothes hands.
Yes,oil gets on the wheel or chain protector but is very easily cleaned,does not gum up on the front sprocket or anywhere else , and the sprockets....DO THEY SHINE ULTRA CLEAN like the day they where installed?
I ve got 40.000+kms on the ninja and 16.000+kms on the Honda with no slack adjustment yet.

 

[bonjo]

red dust most probably mean oxidized iron powder. Clearly lubing the chain has not been the problem.

My guess is that If the O/X ring internal lubes have been compromised then you get steel to steel friction on the chain which can be (but not exclusively) the result of:

using fluid which dissolve the built in lube
chain set too tight
chain alignment
excessive rider/ passenger weight

 

[Truckedup]

I didn't rear every post...Short chain life can be sprocket misalignment...Not the rear axle coxked so much as the rear sprocket is not on the same center line as the trans sprocket..Even if you bought the bike new you should check it carefully if chain life is short....Links pulling apart or seizing is often misalignment....

 

[berlyn]

Chains last for me more than 30k miles. Jt sprockets are very good quality, I would certainly not say the same for the chain by looking the above pictures.
I just never clean my chain (DID ZVM-X) with a solvent, it is too difficult to cover all gaps and to avoid corrosion by reapplying lube after each cleaning - for me it's all marketing with these cleaners.
What do I? i use SAE 250 gear oil once the chain is dirty, applying a generous quantity (within logical limits) - once this is off after 200-300 km I reapply chain lube. I cannot think of another 'cleaner' such as SAE250, that has extreme pressure additives like it and is so cheap and rust preventive!! Also a liter could last a few years.. Just my experience.
Good rides.

 

[Chris142]

Are you checking the chain slack with the suspension compressed so that the swing arm is in line? Or doing it unloaded?

I ride only in dirt. I have had good service out of oring chains and zero lube. Lube just makes dirt stick and grind things up.